Controversy has continued to trail the appointment of Olanipekun Olukoyede as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),.
While many contend that the lawyer and former Chief of Staff to the ex-Acting Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu is not qualified to be EFCC Chair under the law establishing the anti-corruption agency, others insist that he is fit for the job.
The opposing parties hold that although Olukoyede was a former secretary of the EFCC and ex-Chief of Staff to a former Chair of the Commission, he failed to meet the requirements of section 2(3) of the EFCC Act, to be qualified for the appointment.
One of the three major criteria in the provision of section 2(1) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, requires the chairman to have “15 years cognate experience”. The law also prescribes that a chairman of the commission “must be a serving or retired member of any government security or law enforcement agency not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or equivalent…”
Premium Times reports that the newly appointed Anti-Graft boss has no experience in any security or law enforcement agency until his first appointment at the EFCC in 2016 when he was appointed to serve as the Chief of Staff to then acting chairperson of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu. He held the position from 2016 to 2018.
He was subsequently appointed as the secretary of the commission in 2018 and served in that capacity up till 2020 when he was suspended from office by then-President Muhammadu Buhari.
He was suspended alongside Ibrahim Magu and some other officials of the commission. He and Magu were never recalled.
While Mr Magu was replaced by Bawa in February 2021, Olukoyede was replaced by George Ekpungu as the secretary of the commission in June 2021.
However, the presidency’s statement announcing the new EFCC appointments on Thursday stated that Mr Olukoyede served as the secretary of the commission up till 2023.
His appointment is subject to Senate’s confirmation. if confirmed, he is expected to serve for a term of four years, upon confirmation.
The development followed the removal of the last occupant of the office of executive chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, some months ago for allegedly abusing his office.
Below are seven other things you might not know about Olanipekun Olukoyede:
- The 54 year-old was born in Ikere-Ekiti on 14 October 1969.
- He is from Ekiti State.
- He is a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
- He will be the first Southerner to head EFCC since its creation.
- He is a Lawyer with over 22 years of experience as a regulatory compliance consultant and specialist in fraud management and corporate intelligence.
- He is an alumni of the Lagos State University; University of Lagos; Institute of Arbitration ICC – Paris, France and University of Harvard (Kennedy School of Executive Education).
- Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari nominated him to serve as Secretary to the EFCC (2018-2023)
